Gas burner nozzle for use in a gas lighter

ABSTRACT

A gas burner construction incorporating a cylindrical body and a spiral member. The spiral member desirably extends beyond the upper end of the cylindrical body and defines a main gas outlet. The individual coils of the spring are slightly spaced so that a portion of the gas flow passing through the spring will be forced through these spaces thereby forming, with the atmospheric air with which it becomes intermixed, a readily ignitable gas-air mixture adjacent the main gas outlet.

United States Patent Goto [ 51 Oct. 17, 1972 [54] GAS BURNER NOZZLE FOR USE IN A GAS LIGHTER FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,501,898 l/l970 Germany ..239/517 [72] Inventor: Kenjiro Goto, 28-13, S-chome, 74,041 11/1944 Germany ..239/517 Sakurajosui, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan Primary Examiner-Edward G. Favors [22] Filed p 23 1970 Attorney-Robert E. Isner and Peter J. Franco [21] App]. No.2 74,613 [57] ABSTRACT A gas burner construction incorporating a cylindrical 52 US. Cl ..431/266, 239/517 y and a Spiral member- The Spiral member 511 Int. Cl ..F23q 2/16 desirably extends beyond the upper end of the y [58] Field of Search ..431/266; 239/517 dricalbe'dy and defines a main gee Outlet The dividual coils of the spring are slightly spaced so that a 56 R f d portion of the gas flow passing through the spring will I 1 e erences I e be forced through these spaces thereby forming, with UNITED STATES PATENTS the atmospheric air with which it becomes intermixed, 3,439,995 4/1969 I-Iattori et a1. ..431/266 Z :g g 6 gas mlxmre adjacent the mam 1,560,550 11/1925 Dunkerley ..431/245 3,599,398 8/1971 Jaeger et a1 ..239/517 X 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures J ag 1.-

- I 6 I Z 72 Q 4 e 7 p GAS BURNER NOZZLE FOR USE IN A GAS LIGHTER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION device. In such devices it has been recognized that improved ignition efficiencies are obtained by a nozzle which has a main gas outlet and an auxiliary gas outlet in the gas burning appliance adapted to ignite the spouting fuel by a high voltage spark. While many of such nozzles have been fabricated, they were generally not particularly suitable for use with small sized gas burning appliances, such as cigarete lighters. Also one type of construction for such type of burner nozzle employs two concentrically arranged cylindrical bodies and such are unduly expensive for use in smaller sized gas burner appliances such as cigarette lighters.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction for a gas burner nozzle in which a spiral member is fixed to a cylindrical body to obtain improved ignition efficiency.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a gas burner nozzle which is economical in manufacture and easy to assemble.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated by the following description of the embodiments referring to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of one embodiment of the gas burner nozzle incorporating the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectioned view of a second embodiment of the gas burner nozzle incorporating the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2a is a longitudinal sectional view of a modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, there is provided a cylindrical body 1 of a heat resistant material having a passage 11 therethrough communicating with a fuel reservoir (not shown) downstream of the broken portion thereof and desirably incorporating an inwardly directed projection 3 in spaced relation from the open end thereof. Disposed within the upper end of the body 1 is a spiral member 2 of helically wound heat resistant material suitably a helically wound metallic wire and having a diameter markedly less than the internal diameter of the passage 11. The spiral member 2 is preferably positioned within the body 1 by a threadlike inter-engagement with the inwardly directed projections 3. The spiral member 2 defines a main gas passage 12 and the upper end thereof defines a main burner opening 5. The relative diameters of the spiral member 2 and the passage 11 provide an annular space 7 therebetween that serves as an auxiliary fuel passage to direct the passage of fuel flowing upwardly through the passage 11 and outwardly through the spaces 4 in the lower portion of the spiral member 2. Associated with the burner nozzle is a high voltage generating device 9 which may employ a piezoelectric element or the like and which is connected to the body 1 when the latter is of conducting material. An ignition electrode 10 is connected in series with the high voltage generating device 9 and it positioned to form a spark gap with the exposed end portion of the spiral member 2. Although the spiral member 2 is illustrated as being electrically connected with the other terminal of the high voltage generating device 9 through the metallic cylindrical body 1 in this embodiment, it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that it would be directly connected with the high voltage generating device when ever the cylindrical body 1 would be made of electrically insulating materials, such as steatite. It will also be now apparent that a separate electrode could be utilized in lieu of the end portion of the spiral member 2 to define the locus of the spark gap.

In operation of the above described embodiment, the gaseous fuel emitted from the fuel reservoir reaches the burner opening 5 by displacement through the passage 11 in the cylindrical body 1 and the main gas delivery passage 12 formed by the spiral member 2. A portion of the gaseous fuel passing through the main gas delivery passage 12 of the spiral member 2 will be displaced through the spaces 4 of the spiral member 2 and into the annular space 7 to therein flow upwardly as an auxiliary flow of gas concurrently with that of the main flow of gaseous fuel which is moving upwardly through the core of the spiral member 2. The auxiliary flow is emitted from the upper end 6 of the annular space formed by the spiral member 2 and the annular space formed by the spiral member 2 and the cylindrical body 1. The gaseous fuel .which flows out of the auxiliary annular nozzle 6 is with air is initially ignited by an electric spark which bridges between the electrode 10 and the end portion of spiral member 2 and then the so produced initial flame ignites the main flow of gaseous fuel flowing from the burner opening 5.

FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment incorporating the principles of the invention. As illustrated, a spiral member 102 is mounted within the bore 111 of a cylindrical nozzle body 101 and is fixed therein by calking or the like. In this embodiment, the outside diameter of the spiral member is sized to be closely contained within the bore and in abutting relation with the internal wall 113 and as a consequence thereof, the upper end of the cylindrical body 101 serves as a support for the portions of the spiral member 102. Accordingly, it will be found in the FIG. 2a embodiment that the spiral member 102 does not necessitate the same length as that of the passage 111 of the cylindrical body 101. The other constructions of the embodiment are abbreviated because of being similar to the first embodiment.

FIG. 2a shown as a still .further modification of the FIG. 2 embodiment of the invention. Referring to FIG. 2a, the spiral member 202 is here mounted in abutting relation with the inner periphery of enlarged bore 211 within the cylindrical body 201 and is fixed in the terminal end thereof by interengagement with a stepped portion 201a thereof. The bore 211 comprises an extension of main gas flow passage communicating to a fuel reservoir (not shown) and the bore of the spiral member 202 terminates in a burner opening 205 located beyond the end of the cylindrical body 201. As shown, the spaces 206 in the exposed portions of the spiral member 202 serve as the auxiliary gas flow openings.

In operation of the unit, gas flows through the main gas passage 211 to the burner opening 205 formed by the spiral member 202. Concurrently therewith, a portion of the gaseous fuel flowing through the main gas flow passage passes through the spaces 206 in the spiral member disposed above the body portion 201. This auxiliary flow through "the spaces 206 intermixes with air and is initially ignited by the electric spark which bridges between the electrode 210 and the end portion of spiral member 202 and which in turn ignites the main flow of fuel gas emanating from the burner opening 205.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. A gas burner nozzle comprising valve means including a gas flow conduit for directing fuel gas to a combustion zone, said gas flow conduit including at the terminal end thereof a heat resistant coil member, wherein adjacent coils thereof have a predetermined spacing therebetween substantially smaller than the diameter of the coil filament, and said valve means being selectively configured so that at least a portion of said coil member is exposed to the atmosphere whereby a minor portion of the fuel gas flowing through said valve means gas flow conduit will pass through said spacings and be intermixed with atmospheric air thereby forming a readily ignitable auxiliary gas stream which, once ignited, will ignite the remaining major portion of the fuel gas which passes through and is discharged from said gas flow conduit.

2. A gas burner nozzle according to claim 1, wherein said gas flow conduit includes screw thread means defined on the interior surface thereof for threadedly receiving said coil member whereby the length of the exposed portion of said coil member can be selectively varied thereby varying the amount of fuel gas which will pass through adjacent coils of said coil member to form the auxiliary gas stream.

3. A gas burner nozzle as set forth in claim 1 including an enlarged bore in said valve means and wherein the outer surface of said coil member is disposed in adjacent spaced relation with the wall portion of said bore to form an annularly shaped auxiliary gas passage.

4. A gas burner nozzle as set forth in claim 1 including means to introduce an electric spark through a portion of said auxiliary gas flow to effect initial ignition thereof.

5. A gas burner nozzle according to claim 2 wherein said coil member is formed of electrically conductive materials and comprises an electrode element.

6. A gas burner nozzle according to claim 2 wherein said coil member is mounted within said bore by calking.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N D t d 17,

Inventor-(s) J 1T0 tO It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet insert:

-.- [73] Assignee: 'Mansei Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Signed and Sealed this Twenty-first D f September 1976 [SEAL] Arrest:

RUTH C. MASON Commissioner oj'ParenIs and Trademarks 

1. A gas burner nozzle comprising valve means including a gas flow conduit for directing fuel gas to a combustion zone, said gas flow conduit including at the terminal end thereof a heat resistant coil member, wherein adjacent coils thereof have a predetermined spacing therebetween substantially smaller than the diameter of the coil filament, and said valve means being selectively configured so that at least a portion of said coil member is exposed to the atmosphere whereby a minor portion of the fuel gas flowing through said valve means gas flow conduit will pass through said spacings and be intermixed with atmospheric air thereby forming a readily ignitable auxiliary gas stream which, once ignited, will ignite the remaining major portion of the fuel gas which passes through and is discharged from said gas flow conduit.
 2. A gas burner nozzle according to claim 1, wherein said gas flow conduit includes screw thread means defined on the interior surface thereof for threadedly receiving said coil member whereby the length of the exposed portion of said coil member can be selectively varied thereby varying the amount of fuel gas which will pass through adjacent coils of said coil member to form the auxiliary gas stream.
 3. A gas burner nozzle as set forth in claim 1 including an enlarged bore in said valve means and wherein the outer surface of said coil member is disposed in adjacent spaced relation with the wall portion of said bore to form an annularly shaped auxiliary gas passage.
 4. A gas burner nozzle as set forth in claim 1 including means to introduce an electric spark through a portion of said auxiliary gas flow to effect initial ignition thereof.
 5. A gas burner nozzle according to claim 2 wherein said coil member is formed of electrically conductive materials and comprises an electrode element.
 6. A gas burner nozzle according to claim 2 wherein said coil member is mounted within said bore by calking. 